This is during the era when the N64, PS1, SNES, Dreamcast or Sega Genesis were popular. Games back then were released physically via disc or cartridge, meaning distributors or publishers would’ve implemented anti-piracy (like Lenslok) measures onto physical copies but some knew how to tamper with anti-piracy if they have a computer using other sources of capturing data (floppy disks).
Also, games at the time were ‘simple’ to torrent but with a catch (dial up was still a thing at the time meaning downloads could take a while if you have a PC). Discs were more straight forward than “torrenting” cartridges (unless you have connections with the manufacturer on smuggling circuit boards). Like with movies, games that came on discs were “torrented” through CDs by using a PC.
I used to go to a computer club
I was one of “those” kids. This was during the height of the Commodore Amiga, the most beautiful piece of hardware I’ve ever owned. It was magical
Those computer clubs were on paper all about teaching, exchanging ideas, showing off hardware, etc
In reality, when you’d enter the room, there would be hundreds of Amiga computers running xcopy, copying one floppy disk after another. Everyone had their floppy boxes open, I had a few hundred 3.5" disks, in a Feib boxes. People would just walk by, rummage through my collection, take what they wanted to copy, and bring it all back later.
Everything was super respectful and so so so much fun. It was every last (or first?) Saturday of the month, and if look forward to it for weeks
Piracy was life at that time. I had no idea where to buy games, I barely realized that people would pay for software. I had zero money anyway, I would never buy anything because I didn’t have the money
It was a magical time and I yearn for it
In reali